This is the first time in the history of one day cricket World Cup tournaments that India has emerged as the strongest team in the tournament and top favorites to win the coveted trophy. India has won the World Cup for the first and for the only time in 1983. Team India was not even one of the best teams in the 1983 edition, leave alone being the best team in the tournament. In the subsequent tournaments, India produced stronger teams, but they could not add to their World Cup tally in one day cricket. Even though the Indian team got stronger with each edition of the World Cup, they were never the best team in the tournament. The best teams in World Cup thus far have been West Indies in the first three editions, Pakistan in the fourth edition, and may be even fifth in 1992, South Africa in the six edition in 1996, and Australia in all the subsequent events of the World Cup tournaments. India has emerged as the strongest team for the first time in the World Cup tournament in 2011.
The sheer strength of team will take to the knockout stages. If India stay focused for three games in the knockout stages, the quarter final, semi-final, and the final, they can repeat the history. The Indian team does not require to spend much energy for the league stage of the tournament. They will make to the quarter-final even if they play casual cricket. But it is from the quarter finals that they need to be at their very best and need to plug any loopholes. In other words they need to meticulously plan for the three games in the knockout stages. India need to settle their batting order. If Gambhir is playing he should open the batting. He is ineffective in the middle order. Either Sachin or Sehwag should drop to #3. But then even Sachin is not as effective in middle order as he is as an opener. India can have Sehwag one down. With Sehwag still in the pavilion the Indian team will have a psychological edge and the openers can play freely. But if Sehwag and Sachin open and Sehwag goes early, it will put a lot of pressure on Gambhir and Sachin and they may not be able to get going. Virat Kohli should play at #4 as he is in best form of his life. Dhoni should come at #5 with Yuvraj Singh at #6. Why I am putting Yuvraj Singh at #6 is the fact that he has not been in the best form of his life, but nonetheless he is a proven match winner. So by dropping him down the order, he will be given that pressure-free situation to unleash himself. Yuvraj Singh at #6 and Yusuf Pathan at #7 are ominous signs for the opposition. If Virat Kohli is not playing, then Dhoni should bat at #4 with Yuvraj Singh at #5 and Suresh Raina at #6.
Perfect Eleven with perfect batting order for Indian team
1. Gautam Gambhir
2. Sachin Tendulkar
3. Virender Sehwag
4. Virat Kohli
5. Dhoni
6. Yuvraj Singh
7. Yusuf Pathan
8. Praveen Kumar
9. Harbhajan
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Munaf Patel
Love at First Flight
The sheer strength of team will take to the knockout stages. If India stay focused for three games in the knockout stages, the quarter final, semi-final, and the final, they can repeat the history. The Indian team does not require to spend much energy for the league stage of the tournament. They will make to the quarter-final even if they play casual cricket. But it is from the quarter finals that they need to be at their very best and need to plug any loopholes. In other words they need to meticulously plan for the three games in the knockout stages. India need to settle their batting order. If Gambhir is playing he should open the batting. He is ineffective in the middle order. Either Sachin or Sehwag should drop to #3. But then even Sachin is not as effective in middle order as he is as an opener. India can have Sehwag one down. With Sehwag still in the pavilion the Indian team will have a psychological edge and the openers can play freely. But if Sehwag and Sachin open and Sehwag goes early, it will put a lot of pressure on Gambhir and Sachin and they may not be able to get going. Virat Kohli should play at #4 as he is in best form of his life. Dhoni should come at #5 with Yuvraj Singh at #6. Why I am putting Yuvraj Singh at #6 is the fact that he has not been in the best form of his life, but nonetheless he is a proven match winner. So by dropping him down the order, he will be given that pressure-free situation to unleash himself. Yuvraj Singh at #6 and Yusuf Pathan at #7 are ominous signs for the opposition. If Virat Kohli is not playing, then Dhoni should bat at #4 with Yuvraj Singh at #5 and Suresh Raina at #6.
Perfect Eleven with perfect batting order for Indian team
1. Gautam Gambhir
2. Sachin Tendulkar
3. Virender Sehwag
4. Virat Kohli
5. Dhoni
6. Yuvraj Singh
7. Yusuf Pathan
8. Praveen Kumar
9. Harbhajan
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Munaf Patel
Love at First Flight
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